I have come to fall in love with teaching in Catholic schools. What are YOU in love with?...

"Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything." - Pedro Arrupe

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Our Journey Home

"We're in the Easter season until May 24th (Pentecost)," our visiting priest reminded all of us at Mass this morning.

And then he said, "Is anyone familiar with the movie 'The Wizard of Oz'?" Hands shot up, some with more gusto and excitement than others.

"What did Dorothy have to say and what did she have to do to get home?" Click her ruby red shoes together three times and say, "There's no place like home."

"And who were the three characters she met along the way?" Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion
"What did each one need/lack?" Scarecrow = brain, Tin Man = heart, Lion = courage
"Dorothy already possessed all of these things, didn't she? She just didn't know it at first..."

Fr. Larry - Yes, we have two Fr. Larry's - went on to connect this with the idea that during this season of Easter we are like Dorothy: Easter is our opportunity to realize the gifts God has given us to help us on our journey home (eventually) to heaven. He then challenged all of us to show love to others (Tin Man) and courage in tough situations (Lion) this week. He said we already used our brains (Scarecrow) for learning every day anyways.

Good one, Fr. Larry. (It did take a little debriefing with the 6th graders after Mass for them to "get it," but I think they ended up taking away the message.)

May God bless all of us this Easter season so that we may choose to live each day as beacons and signs of His love and mercy. He is Risen. Amen! Alleluia!

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On an unrelated (but Church) note, so many videos, interviews, and articles have been converging on my Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds, but this (short) one in particular struck a nerve. Oh, to have the faith of a child, especially in the face of imminent death. Beautiful...

On a different unrelated (but, amazingly, still Church) note, this quote was included in today's ND prayer reflection, and it conveys an incredible sentiment, so, naturally, I had to share: “O God, to those who have hunger, give bread; and to us who have bread, give the hunger for justice.” (Fr. Hesburgh)

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